Ventures

Microgrids are transforming energy access, but traditional maintenance methods can be inefficient and costly. Ineffective operations and maintenance often hinder the sustainability of community-level energy projects. 60Hertz's platform addresses these challenges by enabling customers to avoid asset failures and achieve ongoing cost savings. Leveraging software solutions is crucial for unlocking the full potential and financial returns of distributed renewable energy systems.

According to UN Environment, there are over 30 million motorcycle taxi drivers in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a strong need for electrification. However, current electric bikes face challenges such as low quality, high costs, long charging times, and insufficient charging locations. Ampersand addresses these issues by providing electric motorcycles and a network of battery swap stations. Drivers can purchase or lease motorcycles at competitive prices, while Ampersand owns the batteries, allowing drivers to pay only for the electricity they use. This innovative model not only saves drivers up to $600 a year and potentially doubles their income but also contributes to cleaner air in African cities and supports a transition to a zero-carbon future.

Smallholder farmers face challenges in accessing specialized financing, which limits their ability to diversify into more expensive, climate-resilient crops or afford essential inputs like pesticides. Apollo Agriculture addresses this issue by empowering these farmers to increase profits and farm sustainably.
Utilizing machine learning-driven credit models and automated technology, Apollo provides a comprehensive package that includes high-quality crops, optimized financing, expert digital advice, training, market access, and insurance. This package is offered as a loan, allowing farmers to purchase necessary inputs at the start of the year and begin repayment only after harvest. By combining financing with support for sustainable farming practices, Apollo unlocks the vast potential of the smallholder farming market, enabling farmers to invest in and scale their businesses effectively.

Many African utilities struggle with data-related challenges, hindering efficiency, revenue collection, and service quality. In Nigeria, where Beacon Power Services was founded, diesel-powered generators supply approximately 80% of electricity, exacerbating these issues. BPS has developed a platform that digitizes utility operations, leading to improved revenue collection, network management, and overall power quality.

Three billion people in the world’s rural areas own small plots of land that generate minimal income. Cinch addresses this challenge by allowing smallholder landowners to enroll their land in its platform, transferring 100% of the risk from the farmer to Cinch. The company then commercializes the land, selling produce to large buyers through contracts. As a result, landowners receive a lease payment, a salary, and pro-rata dividends, significantly increasing their annual income by at least three times.

500M metric tonnes of food is wasted every year, largely due to pathogens, toxins, pests and climatic stress. Aflatoxins alone affect 40% of global harvests, causing over 100,000 deaths and $1.7 billion in lost revenue annually. Clean Crop is working to address this problem by combining food-grade gasses and electricity to create preservative-free and efficacy treatments for nuts and seeds, without compromising quality. This treatment reduces contaminants, bacteria, yeasts, and molds that drive food waste, unlocking additional shelf life.

Crofarm addresses the significant challenge of market access and supply chain inefficiencies that leave 50% of Indian farmers living in poverty. By leveraging a technology-enabled agricultural supply chain platform, Crofarm sources, packs, and distributes produce directly from farmers to retailers, effectively bypassing cumbersome intermediaries. This innovative approach not only reduces post-harvest losses by over 30% but also empowers farmers to access markets and secure fair prices for their produce. As a result, farmers can increase their revenues by up to 50%, enabling them to invest in better farm inputs and essential assets. By eliminating 2-3 layers of brokers, Crofarm streamlines the supply chain, ensuring that the benefits of enhanced efficiency accrue directly to farmers. With its commitment to improving livelihoods and reducing waste, Crofarm is transforming the agricultural landscape in India, making it a crucial partner for both farmers and retailers.

Over a billion people globally lack reliable power. enee.io addresses this challenge by offering a comprehensive energy management solution. enee.io's wireless sensors, mobile app, and online platform provide real-time data on energy system performance, enabling homeowners and businesses to optimize usage, extend battery life, and ensure backup power. Unlike competitors, Enee.io's technology-agnostic sensors work with any battery type, empowering users to leverage existing assets. This translates into reduced energy costs, decreased reliance on generators, and improved sustainability through efficient energy utilization and minimized battery waste.

Ferntech’s Universal Monitoring and Control (UMC) technology allows off-grid power system operators to remotely monitor and control multiple systems at lower cost using logic-based programming to add smart behavior to grids. This technology makes it possible for developers and operators of these systems to connect components from any manufacturer, monitor a fleet of systems from a single dashboard, and easily program behaviors to improve performance. These features reduce monitoring and maintenance costs and improve returns on grid deployments. Ferntech was acquired by Odyssey Energy in 2018 and is now a part of an integrated solution.

Figorr provides a comprehensive cold chain management solution that addresses critical challenges for businesses handling temperature-sensitive products in Nigeria and across Africa. By tackling post-harvest losses and product spoilage, Figorr helps reduce significant economic losses and food insecurity. Their integrated services include real-time monitoring of temperature, humidity, and location, data-driven insurance protection, advanced inventory management software, and a rental platform for cold rooms and trucks.

Figorr's holistic approach combines innovative monitoring technology with insurance solutions, enabling businesses to minimize product loss and maintain quality while securing previously uninsurable risks. The platform also enhances access to temperature-controlled storage and transport, making essential resources available to businesses of all sizes. By effectively reducing operational risks and costs, Figorr not only supports individual businesses but also contributes to broader goals of reducing food waste and improving food security, positioning itself as a vital partner in cold chain operations.

Despite the high demand for rural electricity, many microgrid projects face sustainability challenges. Gridless addresses this issue by partnering with rural energy producers to co-locate bitcoin mining operations at microgrid sites. By utilizing excess energy for mining, Gridless helps microgrids become more profitable while also benefiting communities with improved power reliability, affordability, and grid connectivity.

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Extreme weather events cost agriculture an estimated $10 to $15 billion annually, according to the FAO. This impacts everyone involved in the food supply chain. Ibisa offers index-based insurance solutions to protect farmers and others from these climate-related risks. Using satellite data and actuarial technology, Ibisa provides financial resilience in vulnerable regions. Their products include agricultural insurance, heat stress insurance, typhoon coverage, and loan protection for financial institutions.

InspiraFarms addresses a significant challenge in Africa's agricultural sector, where up to 40% of crops are wasted annually due to supply chain inefficiencies.
To combat this, InspiraFarms designs, manufactures, and finances energy-efficient, solar-powered cold rooms and packhouses for agribusinesses and food distributors. Their modular, pre-fabricated facilities cater to various sectors, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and animal protein. InspiraFarms significantly reduces food waste, enhances food security, and helps farmers boost their earnings. By providing access to efficient cold chain technology, they enable producers to meet stringent food safety standards, lower energy costs, and access export markets.

Frequent power outages in Southern Africa, caused by droughts and aging infrastructure, disrupt businesses and households. In response, many are turning to microgrids and captive power plants. The International Energy Agency and the World Bank project a need for 2,000 mini-grids annually for the next five years, representing a $197 billion market. NeedEnergy offers a trading platform for microgrids, using smart meters to bill and collect energy data. As the first company in Africa to integrate monitoring, trading, accounting, and virtual power plants, NeedEnergy facilitates renewable energy trading among distributed microgrids and end-users, aiming for 24/7 uninterrupted power in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Minigrid project developers often lack the working capital needed to pre-purchase essential equipment, such as solar panels and batteries. This financial barrier can lead to costly delays that jeopardize project success. To solve this problem, Odyssey has created the only end-to-end platform that scales project development across the entire lifecycle, including planning, financing, procurement, and operations. With access to $1.3 billion in financing for distributed renewable energy projects and a network of over 2,000 renewable energy companies, Odyssey connects developers with private and concessional financiers, facilitating access to previously out-of-reach projects. Their advanced software tools streamline project planning and portfolio management, while remote monitoring solutions provide investors with full visibility into asset performance, ensuring successful investment outcomes. By effectively addressing these critical pain points, Odyssey is transforming the renewable energy landscape.

South Africa's transition to clean energy offers a significant opportunity for climate mitigation. Despite being the world's third-largest domestic power market, 80% of South Africa's electricity still comes from aging coal-fired power stations. A key obstacle to this transition is the lack of appropriate infrastructure. The government and major utilities are not reliable buyers of renewable energy, and distributed producers struggle to connect to the grid. Open Access Energy is addressing these challenges by building a technology platform that enables independent producers to feed electricity directly into the grid or to distributed users. This platform is crucial for accelerating South Africa's green transition and unlocking the full potential of renewable energy.

In the huge East African market and the greater African continent motorcycles and buses are the preferred and sometimes the only mode of transport available, so there is an urgent need to convert to an affordable, sustainable electric standard. Roam's innovative products can achieve significant carbon emission reductions—over 90% for motorcycles and 80% for electric buses—while also addressing local air pollution and enhancing financial value for users. In many African cities, buses and motorcycles are essential to the transport sector, yet traditional petrol and diesel models contribute significantly to air pollution and operational costs. With transportation accounting for 10% of Africa's emissions—an amount projected to grow with urbanization—Roam offers a sustainable solution by providing locally assembled electric vehicles that serve as cleaner and more efficient alternatives to internal combustion engines. Their state-of-the-art production facility in Kenya has an annual capacity of over 50,000 electric motorcycles, positioning Roam as a leader in the transition to electric mobility in the region.

Smallholder farmers often struggle with limited processing and storage options, resulting in significant food loss and reduced economic growth. S4S Technologies tackles this challenge with its patented solar conduction dryer, which dehydrates fruits, vegetables, grains, and spices, extending shelf life by six months and retaining 35% more nutrients than traditional methods. The dryer operates without electricity and reduces processing time by up to 40%. S4S aggregates the dried produce, processes it at its factory, and sells to the food and beverage industry, providing farmers with a reliable market and enabling them to create higher-value products. This approach effectively minimizes waste and enhances farmers' livelihoods.

Wastewater treatment facilities often face challenges with inefficient processes and a lack of real-time monitoring, leading to suboptimal treatment, higher energy consumption, and potential environmental risks. It's estimated that 80% of wastewater is released untreated worldwide. Sentry's bio-electrode sensors address these issues by providing real-time data on microbial performance in previously unmonitored areas. This technology enables treatment plants to optimize their processes, potentially lowering energy costs and improving treatment efficiency. By significantly enhancing productivity and reducing operational expenses, Sentry's sensors can promote the adoption of anaerobic digestion in commercial and industrial applications, such as sanitation and energy facilities. Overall, this increased efficiency makes anaerobic digestion a more attractive option for these sectors

Billions of tons of manure generated by farms each year contaminate groundwater and emit greenhouse gases, presenting a significant environmental challenge for smallholder farmers. Sistema addresses this issue with advanced biodigester technology that transforms animal manure into clean-burning biogas for cooking and power, as well as nutrient-rich organic fertilizer. This innovative solution enhances farm productivity and sustainability while laying the groundwork for regenerative practices. In addition to providing the technology, Sistema offers training and financing to help farmers build the necessary infrastructure and capacity for energy independence. With flexible repayment options and comprehensive monitoring services, farmers can easily acquire and use biodigesters to process farm waste, resulting in clean biogas and biofertilizers. This empowers farmers globally to become more energy-efficient and self-sufficient in fertilizer production.

Utilities worldwide face the challenge of meeting increasing energy demand with aging infrastructure, leading to unreliable service, particularly in emerging markets. SparkMeter's technology addresses these challenges by offering a plug-and-play solution for grid management. Their advanced meters and software monitor grids in real time, enhancing reliability and revenue collection, and accelerating the transition away from expensive and polluting diesel generators. By optimizing grid operations, SparkMeter empowers utilities to adapt to evolving energy dynamics and improve both profitability and customer service.

Globally, over a billion people lack reliable access to quality power, and Nigeria's 220 million residents face significant energy challenges due to an inadequate grid. Frequent blackouts force many to rely on costly, polluting alternatives. SteamaCo addresses this crisis by providing both on-grid and off-grid power companies with data-driven solutions that improve operational efficiency and revenue management. Their IoT smart metering platform enables clean and affordable energy access in off-grid areas, while AI-driven loss prevention technology helps utilities detect and resolve theft effectively. With a deep understanding of Africa's energy landscape, SteamaCo is dedicated to bridging the energy gap. Their innovative solutions empower utilities to optimize operations, reduce costs, and enhance service quality. Operating in over 20 countries, SteamaCo is a trusted partner for utilities looking to increase efficiency and expand electricity access to underserved communities.

Solar energy presents the most affordable and sustainable solution for over 600 million under-electrified consumers in Africa, representing a market valued at $625 billion. However, the high upfront costs of solar systems remain a barrier for many. SunFi's managed marketplace enables consumers to lease or lease-to-own solar systems, connect with the best solutions and installers, and receive approvals within 24 hours. Additionally, SunFi provides an effective route to market and a robust distribution channel for top original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), while offering a low-risk market entry for climate and impact-focused lenders.

Fertilizer is foundational to food security. It increases crop yields and supports the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa, who make up more than 60% of the region’s population. Yet fertilizer remains expensive and difficult to access. Without local production, African markets rely on costly imports, driving up prices and limiting availability for the farmers who need it most.

At the heart of this challenge is ammonia, the primary input in nitrogen-based fertilizers. Traditional ammonia production is highly dependent on fossil fuels and ranks among the largest industrial sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Talus Renewables replaces large-scale, fossil fuel-based ammonia production with modular systems powered by renewable energy. These systems produce ammonia on-site at farms using only air, water, and electricity. With projects already operating in Kenya and the United States, Talus is helping to lower emissions, cut fertilizer costs, and improve food security, especially in regions like Africa where renewable energy is abundant.

Globally, 80% of wastewater is discharged untreated into the environment. At the same time, we generate 1.6 billion tonnes of food waste per year. WASE offers a next-generation waste-to-energy technology that maximizes biogas production. Their modular, plug-and-play systems can be seamlessly integrated into existing operations, making them suitable for various contexts, including emerging markets. WASE's technology efficiently converts wastewater into clean energy on-site, addressing both waste treatment and energy production needs. The value proposition lies in their ability to reduce waste treatment costs, improve sustainability, and generate clean energy from waste. Their systems use AI and biosensors for 24/7 monitoring and optimization, improving methane yields and doubling feeding rates for increased plant efficiency. This comprehensive approach not only helps businesses manage waste more effectively but also provides a sustainable energy source, which is particularly valuable in emerging markets where energy access can be limited or unreliable.

Waterwhelm has created a revolutionary water treatment system that runs on waste heat or solar energy instead of expensive electricity. Unlike traditional systems that force water through membranes at high pressure, their forward osmosis technology works more like natural processes, using up to 85% less energy and costing significantly less to operate. The company launched its first pilot plant and gained early traction with Veolia, a global water treatment leader. Their technology is well-suited for places like sub-Saharan Africa, where reliable electricity is scarce but sunshine and industrial heat are abundant, allowing communities to produce clean drinking water for under $1 per cubic meter, a game-changing price point for water-stressed regions.